Bag feeding machine



June 6, 1944.

H. G. ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 .7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fizz/411G. QZZerz ATTORNEY June 6, 1944. G ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 50, 1941 7 SheetsSheet 2 R 7 o m T i J v w 5 5 a 5w MW 3w 6 n w w 1 llll o o 5 6 o 5 6; T w f z 6 /0 WW O I, mm j ..J\ w Mfr i L W I I" flwa7d6. aZZevz X7 25 26 BY 75 M Q M ATTORNEY June 6, 1944. H. G. ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Jfozoarzi. di

- BY g m 05' ATTORNEY June 6, 1944. G EN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 50, 1941 7 S heets -Sheet 4 INVENTOR Jim arid @[56 2 ATTORNEY June 6, 1944.- H. G. ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 50, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet. 5

INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 6, 1944. H'. G. ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Ji wamf. diam ATTORNEY J1me 1944- H. G. ALLEN BAG FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 JNVENTOR Jim/4716643 05- ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1944 s'rATEs PATENT orrloa 2,350,666 BAG FEEDING MACHINE Howard G. Allen, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignmto Consolidated Packaging Machinery corpora tion, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 30, 1941, Serial No. 424,879

' 6 Claims. ((31. 226-49) This invention relates to new and useful im-' provements in article handling devices and particularly'seeks to provide a novel machine for automatically feeding paper bags from a supply stack to an opening and filling machine.

Heretofore various forms of bag handling de= vices have been developed which were so designed and constructed as to be an integral part of a bag filling machine or the like. Naturally, the bag handling devices of this nature are limited in the uses to which they can be put by the limits of the machine with which they are combined. Thus. a bag filling machine designed for use in conjunction with a particular type of bag includes bag feeding and handling means adapted for use with that type ofbag only and cannot therefore be used in handling other types of bags. r

This invention provides novel bag feeding and handling means which forms a complete and unitary'structure capable of being used in conjunction with a number of bag opening and/or filling machines and which is readily adaptable for use with bags of various sizes and types but which is particularly adaptable for use in conjunction with bag opening and filling machines of the type employing a filling turret having a plurality of radially disposed filling and/or bag opening elements and which is adapted to be rotatably advanced at a uniform speed to present successive filling nozzles to the position at which the bags are adapted to be applied thereto.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a fully automatic bag feeding machine which may be employed to feed bags from a supply stack to th bag receiving station of .an opening and filling machine with which it is associated.-

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated that is capable of uniformly feeding and applying bags at a relatively high rate of speed. Another object, of this invention is o ro i e. a machine of the character stated that will with-- draw a single bag from a supply stack, partially open the mouth thereof, transfer the partially opened bag from the station adjacent the supply stack to the bag applying station of the associated opening and filling machine, and raise thepartiall-y opened bag into engaging relation with the bag opening devices and/or filling nozzle of said opening machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated which employs novel bag transfer means including a rotary table having sets of bodily movable bag holding elements mounted thereon and which is adapted to be driven from a constantly rotating shaft through the medium of lost motion cam. and linkage connections so that the table will be. brought to a complete stop twice during each revolution thereof in order that the bag holding elements may first properly receive a bag from the supply stack and subsequently apply the bag held thereby to the opening devices of the associated machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which a cylindrical cam is associated with the rotary transfer tableand is effective to permit and control bodily vertical movement of the bag holding elements as an incident to the application of a bag held thereby to the opening devices of the associated machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which a ence to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bag feeding machine. constructed in accordance with this invention together with a somewhat diagrammatic representation of a bag filling machine with which it is adapted to be associated;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat fragmentary front elevation partly in section of the machine;

. "Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig 6 is a detailed horizontal section taken i along line 6-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational view partly in sectionof the bag holding elements;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view somewhat similar to Fig. 7 buttaken from the opposite side of the bag holding elements and showing the same in their positions just after a bag has been applied to the opening elements of the associated machine;

Fig. 10 is a detailed horizontal section taken along line ||9 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken along line of Fig.2;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section taken along line |2-|2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section taken along line |3|8 of Fig. 2, portions of the mechanisms not being shown;

Fig. 14 is a detailed vertical section taken along line |4'|4 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a detailed vertical section on a reduced scale taken along line |5|5 of Fig. 14;

and

Fig. 16 is a development view of the bag holder elevating cam.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is associated with a bag filling machine generally indicated A and which includes a constantly rotating turret 5 having a plurality of filling spouts 6 (herein somewhat diagrammatically illustrated) It will be understood that'the spouts 5 function in the normal manner in that each is successively presented to a filling station at which predetermined charges of material to be packaged are introduced into bags applied to the spouts by the bag feeding machine constructed in accordance with this invention and that, as an.incident to such filling operations, vertical movement may be imparted to the spouts subsequent to the time at which unfilled bags have been presented thereto.

The bag handling machine in which this invention is embodied includes a main frame having an upstanding portion! which carries devices for individually extracting bags from a supply stack 8 and a laterally extending portion 9 which carries devices effective to transfer the individual bags to the spouts 6 of the associated filling machine.

The devices which effect the extraction of individual bags from the supply stack 8 are disclosed in detail in my copending application serial No. 347,378 filed July 25, 1940, and it is believed unnecessary to describe the same in detail here in. However, these devices include vacuum sucker mechanisms l0 adapted to displace the lower end of the bottom bag in the stack 8 for engagement by gripper jaws I l. The jaws H are bodily movable to bring the bag end held thereby into engagement with upper feed rolls 2, l2 which are thereafter effective in cooperation with lower feed rolls l3, l3 to inject the bag into a, vertically disposed receiver |4 rigidly secured to the frame portion 1 asby a bracket l5.

The receiver I4 is closed on three" sides by the walls |4A,-|4B and MC. The walls I43 and C.

have respectively formed therein openings MD and ME which extend .to the open side of the receiver which is opposite the wall A. The bag transfer mechanism 'to be hereinafter described includes sucker elements which are brought into a position opposite the openings MD and ME and are then projected through these openings into contact with a bag positioned within the receiver. The sucker elements are then moved in the direction of the open'side of the receiver l4 whereby to remove the bag from the receiver.

The above described devices as well as the ba necting the filling and feeding machines.

transfer devices and the mechanisms of the filling machine with which they are associated are driven from a single source of power in order that they may be continuously operated in proper synchronization. To this end, power may be supplied from an electric motor or other driving means (not shown) through belt and pulley connections Hi to the main shaft ll of the associated filling machine. Power is taken from the shaft IT for operation of the bag feeding and transfer mechanisms through sprocket chain and gear connections l8 and a horizontal shaft l9 con- The shaft I9 is in turn operatively connected through sprocket chain and gear connections 29 to horizontal shaft 2| journalled in spacedpillow bearings 22, 22. The sprocket gear connections 23 operatively connect the shaft 2| with a gear box 24 to drive and control operations of the bag feeding mechanisms which are contained within the upstanding portion 1 of the main frame.

The mechanisms which are adapted to transfer individual bags from the receiver I4 to the filling spouts of the associated filling machine include a speed reducer 25 having a worm wheel 25 carried by a vertical shaft 21 and a worm 28 carried by a horizontal shaft 29. The shaft 29 is continuously driven from the shaft 2| through sprocket chain and gear connections 39. A vertical shaft 3| has its lower end coupled to the upper end of the shaft 21 of the speed reducer and its upper end journalled in a bearing 32 carried by a bracket 33 rigidly affixed to the upright portion 1 of the main frame as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

A plate cam 34 is rigidly affixed within the laterally extending portion 9 of the main frame and is provided on its upper facewith a symmetrically formed irregular cam groove 35, the

exact purpose of which will be hereinafter de-- scribed. The central portion of the cam plate 34 is provided with an aperture 36 through which the shaft 3| extends. A radially extending arm '31 is rigidly secured to the shaft 3| adjacent the upper face of the cam plate 34. A bell crank lever 38 having arms 39 and 40 respectively is pivotally connected at its angle to the free end of the arm 31.

The arm 39 of the bell crank is provided with roller cam follower 4| engageable in the groove of the cam plate 34. The free end of the arm of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected to one end'of a link 42, the other end of which is pivotally connected-to the projecting .end of a lug.43 formed integrally with a sleeve 44 freely journalled on the shaft 3|. The sleeve 44 is provided on one side with upper and lower lugs 45 and 48 respectively and on its other side with a similar pair of lugs 41 and 48 respectively. A pair of parallel links 49 and 50 are pivotally connected at one end to the respective lugs 45 and 46 and have their other ends disposed in spaced relation and pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically disposed rod 5| upon which bag holding elements aresupported as will be hereinafter described. It will be noted that the lower end of the rod 5| is provided with a boss 52 which the cam follower II constant engagement apropos with pivotally connected at oneend to the respective lugs 01 and and have thelr 'other ends disposed in spaced relation and pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically disposed rod 00 which is similar to the rod II and which is adapted to support a second set of bag holding elements. The lower end of the rod'" is similarly provided with a boss 60 whichrotatably supports a laterally extending roller cam follower 6| also engageable with the cylinder cam 04. The link 61 is provided with a short arm 62 which is biased by-a tension spring 60 extending between the end ofthe arm and the base of the sleeve 40 to thereby similarly urge the links 01 and ll and the rod ll upwardly and keep' the cam follower 6| in constant engagement with the cylinder cam 0|. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 16 of the drawings that the lower edge of the cylinder cam 00 is provided with a horizontal cam portion 60 terminating in an upwardly extending sharply inclined portion 60 effective to permit abrupt rise of the rods II and 60 in order to apply bags to the flllingspoutaas'wiH be hereinafter described in detail. Following the sharply inclined portion 66, the lower edge of the cam slopes downwardly a short distance as at 66 and then continues at a lesser slopeas at 61 until the level;

of the horizontal portion is again reached. It will be noted that the cylinder cam 64 is so oriented withinthe frame'po'rtion 0. that the beginning of the horizontal portion 00 of the cam face is'disposed in registry with the bag receiver It and the top of the sharply inclined portion is disposeddiametrically opposite thereto and in alignment withthe position at which the bags are applied to the spouts of the associated filling machine. V

A mounting block 60 for supporting the bag holding elements is rigidly affixed to the upper end of each of the vertical rods i and 66. A

pair of generally right angle arms 69 and I0 are secured to shafts 'II and I2 journalled in the mounting block and are respectively provided with gear sectors I3 and 14 which are disposed in constantly meshing relationship. The upperend of the arm 60 is provided with an offset portion 15 which supports an upwardly extending tube I6 having a laterally extending bifurcated portion generally indicated 11 and the ends of sucker elements I0 and 02 toward and from each other will be effected. .The movement of .separation of the suckers l8 and 02 is limited through the medium of a downward extension 02 of the arm 60 which is provided with an adjusting screw flengageable with a stop lug 04 carried by the mounting block 60:

The other end of the pivot shaft II is provided with a downwardly extending arm 06 rigidly affixed thereto and having its free end engageable with the notched end 66 of a bell crank lever 61 pivotally connected to the mounting block 60 as at 00. (See Figs. 2, 8 and 9.) The end 06 of the bell crank lever is constantly urged upwardly through the medium of a biasing spring 09 extending therefrom to themounting block 60. The other arm of the bell crank lever extends upwardly and is pivotally connected at its free end to one end of a generally horizontal link I00. The

midportionof the link I00 is supported "by and which carry rubber sucker elements 10. The arm I0 is similarly provided with an offset portion 10 which carries a corresponding upwardly extending tube 00 having a laterally bifurcated port on 8! which extends in opposition to the bifurcated portion II of the tube 16 and the ends of which are similarlyprovided with rubber sucker elements 62. The lower ends of the tubes 16 and 00 are connected by a flexible boss 03 by which air is permitted to pass from one tube to the other. The tube 00 is provided with a connection 04 upon which a flexible hose 85 is secured. The other end of the hose 051s connected through valve mechanisms to be hereinafter described to a source of vacuum (not shown) inorder to enable the rubber sucker elements 16 and 02 to operatively engage a bag.

The arm I0 is provided with an extension 06 terminating in a hooked end having a roller cam follower 01. The cam follower 61 is engaged with a cam 00 rigidly afllxed to the vertical shaft 3| and is provided with a pair of opposed lugs 00 having inclined faces 00. The arm suitable devices.- The upper face of the valve I0 is biased mechanism supporting disk I01 is ground to a IOI, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the mounting block 60 at I02. The other end of the link I00 is provided with a roller cam follower I03 rotatable about a vertical axis and engageable with a cam I04 rigidly afllxed to the shaft 3i and provided with a pair of diametrically opposed cam lugs 105. The linkage above described eil'ects an additional movement of sepa- -ration between suckers I0 and 02 after a bag has been applied to'the spout of the associated filling machine as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The upper end of the vertical shaft II is provided with a portion I06 of reduced diameter which is rotatably engaged with the supporting bearing 32. A valve mechanism supporting disk I0! is rigidly affixed to the reduced diameter portion I06 adjacent the lower end thereof. An annular groove is'formed in the reduced diame ter portion I06 and is located within the area embraced by the disk I" to define an annular chamber I08. The chamber I00 is disposed in open communication with a transversely extending duct I09 which in turn is disposed in open communication with an axially disposed duct II 0 extending upwardly therefrom to the upper end of the reduced portion I06 of the shaft II. The

extreme upper end of the reduced portion I06 is rotatably engaged within a cap block or bearing III amxed to an auxiliary bracket II2 carried by the bearing supporting bracket 33 (see Figs. 2 and 3). angled duct H3, one portion of which is disposed in communication with the axial duct II. of the shaft SI and the other portion of which extends laterally into communication with a connecting nipple Ill upon which a flexible hose H6 is mounted for communication with a suitable source of vacuum (not shown). The annular chamber I00 which is defined by the groove of the reduced portion I06 of the shaft 0| and the valve mechanism supporting disk I0I communicates with a duct II6 extending diametrically through the disk I01 and has its outer ends closed through the medium of screw plugs III or other The block III is provided with a right smooth finish and is provided with a port 8 connecting with the duct H6. The disk I01 is also provided with a vertically disposed passage II9 extending completely therethrough (see Figs. 4-6) The passage 9 is connected to one hose 85 for operation of the vacuum suckers with the bag engaging mechanisms. Another passage I20 extends vertically through the disk I01 and forms an exhaust port. It will be noted that the port II8, the passage 9 and the passage I20 are respectively spaced apart along an arcuate path.

A valve gate '|2I is disposed to one side of the shaft portion I06 and is pivotally connected intermediate its ends as at I22 to the upper face of the supporting disk I01. One end of the valve gate is provided with an elongated chamber I23 of sufficient length to span the distance between the port 8 and the passage 9 or the distance between the passages H9 and I20. It will be apparent that oscillation of the valve gate will bring either the port I I8 and the passage I I9 into open communication through the chamber I23 orwill bring the passages H9 and 20 into open communication. In this manner, vacuum will be applied through the hose 85 to the associated suckers of the bag handling elements. When communication between the passages H9 and I20 is established through the chamber 123, the hose 85 will be open to the atmosphere through the passage I20. The other end of the valve gate |2| is provided with a roller cam follower I24 which is maintained in operative engagement with a cam I25 rigidly afilxed to the bearing 32. A tension spring I26 extends from the end of the valve gate I2| to an adjacent portion of the supporting disk I01 to constantly bias the cam follower I24 against the cam I25.

A cimilar port I21 is provided in the duct 6 on the opposite side of the shaft portion I06 and is spaced the same distance therefrom that the port 8 is spaced. Similarly, the disk is provided with a vertically disposed passage I 28 which connects with the other hose 85 to operate the second set of bag engaging sucker elements and a vertical passage I29 extending into communication with the atmosphere and spaced from the passage I20. A second valve gate I30 is provided on the opposite side of the shaft portion I 06 from the valve gate |2| .and includes an elongated chamber |3| which performs the same function as'the chamber I23 of the valve gate I2I. The valve gate I30 is similarly provided with a roller cam follower identified I32 which also engages the cam I25 and is maintained in constant engagement therewith through the medium of a biasing spring I33. The whole of the valve mechanisni above described is preferably protected from exposure to the atmosphere as by a cylindrical skirt I34 secured to and extending downwardly from the bearing structure 32.

In operation, it will be understood that the vertical shaft 3| is continuously driven at a uniform speed from the constantly rotating horizontal shaft 2| through the sprocket gear, chain, and speed reducer connections 26 to 30; and the arm 31 which is rigidly affixed to the shaft 3| will be correspondingly rotated. The rotation of the shaft 3| and the arm 31 is imparted to the sleeve 44 through the bell crank lever and link connections 38 and 42. As the arm 31 is rotated, the bell crank lever 38 will be given an oscillatory movement relative thereto as the result of the engagement of the roller cam follower 4| with the cam groove 35. As the roller cam follower 4| moves, away from the axis of the shaft 3|, the bell crank lever 38 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction relative; to the arm 31. This pivotal movement of the bell crank lever will result in a lessening of rotative movement of the sleeve 44 and its associated mechanisms. When the arm 31 has reached the position indicated in Fig. 12, the roller cam follower 4| has reached its i'arthermost position away from the shaft 3| and at this position no movement of rotation is imparted to the sleeve 44. As these parts approach the position shown in Fig. 12, the roller cam follower 53 which controls the rod 5| and its associated bag engaging mechanisms has reached the horizontal portion of the cylindrical cam 54 and the arms 69 and 10 which carry the rubber vacuum suckers 18 and 82 respectively are in the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings preparatory to being'closed upon a bag to remove the same from the receiver I4. At the same time the roller cam follower 8| has passed the limit of the horizontal portion 64 of the cylindrical cam 54 and has ridden up the sharply inclined portion 85 thereof to the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 14 to thereby effect the application of the bag held by suckers 18 and 82 of the rod 59 to the filling spout 6 of the associated machine. At the time the roller cam follower 6| ofthe vertical rod 59 has reached the top of the inclined portion 65 of the cylindrical cam, the rotative movement of the sleeve 44 and its associated mechanisms including the bag engaging devices has been completely stopped by the action of the bell crank and link connections as above described. Since the shaft 3| is continuously rotating, relative movement will occur between the shaft and the sleeve 44 and its associated mechanisms. Therefore, the inclined cam face portion of the cam 88 carried by the shaft 3| will effect a raising of the extension 86 of the arm 10 of the bag holding elements and will rock the arm 10 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 12. This rocking movement will be transmitted in a reverse direction to the arm/69 as a result of the constant engagement of the gear sectors 13 and 14 carried by the respective arms. Thus, the rubber suckers 18 and 82 are brought through the openings ME and I 4D respectively into positive engagement with opposing wall portions of a bag held in the receiver I4 as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. At the same time the relative movement between the shaft 3| and the sleeve and its associated mechanisms causes shifting of the valve gate |2I to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings to provide for the application of vacuum through the passage ||9 to the suckers 18 and 82 which are carried by the rod 5|.

Simultaneously with engagement of the bag in the receiver. I4, another bag has been applied to the filling spout 6 by the mechanisms carried on the upwardly projected rod 59. The shifting of the valve gate I2I to the position shown in Fig. 4 is also concurrent with the shifting of the valve gate I30 to the position shown in Fig. 4 to release the vacuum applied to the suckers 18 and 82 carried by the upwardly projected rod 59 to release the engagement of the suckers with the bag which has been applied to the-filling spout. The same relative movement between the shaft 3| and the sleeve 44 and its associated elements which was effective to close together the suckers 18 and 02 of the rod 5| is effective, through the cam I04 and the bell crank and link connections 91|03, to release the arm .95 (see Fig; 9) from the notched end 96 of the bell crank lever 91. This release of the arm 95 permits the biasing spring 3| to impart aslight additional movement of separation between the suckers "l3 and 82 whereby complete separation of the suckers from the applied bag may be eifected without any submay be noted that wherever the curvature of the cam groove 35 is truly concentric with the shaft 3|, the sleeve 44 and the shaft will be rotated at the same rate of speed and that, when the groove 35 moves away from the axis of the shaft 3|, the speed of rotation of the sleeve 44 will be relatively lessened, and when the groove 35 moves in toward the shaft 3I, the speed of rotation of the sleeve 44 will be relatively increased. The slowing down and instantaneous stopping of the rotation of the sleeve 44, together with its associated bag engaging mechanisms, must be effected twice during each revolution since there are two sets of bag engaging elements, each of which must be stopped at thebag receiving station and at the position at which a bag is to be applied to one of the filling spouts of the associated machine.

As the mechanisms are rotated to the position at which the roller cam followers 53 and GI associated with the rods 5| and 59 reach the position at which they ride up the sharply inclined portion of the cylinder cam 54, means are preferably provided to regulate the manner in which the vertical travel of these elements is effected in order that they will not sharply strike the top of the inclined portion 65. These means (see Figs. 11 and 15) may include a lever I35 pivoted intermediate its ends as at I36 to the frame of the machine. One end of the lever projects beyond the inclined portion 65 of the cylinder cam 54 as shown in Fig. 15 and the other end of the arm I35 is pivotally connected as at I31 to the upper end of the piston rod I38 of a dash pot or hydraulic retarder I39. The arm I35 is preferably provided with a short downwardly extending arm I40 which is constantly biased to the right, as viewed in Fig. 15, by a tension spring I4I. Thus, the spring I4I constantly tends to rotate the arm I35 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot to the position indicated-in dotted lines in Fig. 15. As either of the roller cam followers 53 or 6| rises along the inclined portion 65 of the cam 54, it will contact the lower edge of the arm I 35. Continued movement of the cam follower will impart a clockwise pivoting of the arm about its pivot which will impart a downward movement to the rod I38 of the hydraulic retarder I39 which becomes effective to so control the speed of movement of the cam follower as to bring it to a relatively gentle stop at the top of the inclined portion 65 of the cylinder cam. In order that the initial position of the arm I35 may be accurately regulated, an abutment I42 is adjustably secured to the frame through adjusting screw means I43. The top of the rod I38 of the dash pot mechanism may be provided with a pad I44 adapted to be engaged with the abutment I42 to limit the upward travel .of'the rod and to determine the initial position of the arm I35.

Thus, it will be seen that the herein described invention provides a fully automatic bag feeding machine operable in conjunction with a filling machine, which is capable of withdrawing a single bag from a supply stack, partially opening the mouth thereof, transferring the partially opened bag from the position adjacent the supply stack to the bag applying station of the associated machine, and raising the bag into engaging relation with the filling sp ut of said opening; which employs novel bag transfer means provided with a rotary assembly including sets of bodily movable bag holding elements mounted thereon, and which is adapted to be driven from a constantl trotating shaft through the medium.

of lost motion cam and linkage connections so that the rotary assembly will be brought to a complete stop twice during each revolution thereof in order that bags may be properly handled.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement and proportions of parts may be variously modified without exceedingthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In an automatic bag feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling spouts of a filling machine associated therewithpa main supporting frame, a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame,

- rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements, a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed individual bags from said magazine to said receiver, means for rotating said bag transfer mechanisms to move said bag-holding elements into and out of registry with said bag receiver and into and out of registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for stopping rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with said bag receiver and to cause movement of said elements into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with a. filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for imparting a movement of separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth 'of the bag held thereby, and means to cause upward projection of said bag holding elements to apply the bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine.

2. In an automatic beg feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling'spouts of a filling machine associated therewith, a main supporting frame,

a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame,

rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements, a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed individual bags from said magazine to said receiver, means for rotating said bag means for stopping rotation of said transfer,

mechanisms each time said bag holding elements arein registry with said bag receiver and to cause movement of said elements into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for imparting a movement of separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth of the bag held thereby, means to cause upward projection of said bag holding elements to apply the bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine, means for releasing engagement'of said bag holding elements from the bag held thereby, and means for imparting an additional movement of separation to said bag holding elements subsequent to the release thereof from the said applied bag.

3. In an automatic bag feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling spouts of a filling machine associated therewith, a main supporting frame, a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame, rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements, a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed individual bags from said magazine to said receiver, means including cam and lost motion linkage connections for rotating said bag transfer mechanisms to move said bag-holding elements into and out of registry with said bag receiver and into and out of registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine and for stopping rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with said bag receiver and to cause movement of said elements-into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for imparting a movement of separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth of the bag held thereby, and means to cause upward projection of said bag holding elements to apply the bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine.

4. In an automatic bag feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling spouts of a filling. machine associated therewith, a main supporting frame, a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame, rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements, a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed individual bags from said magazine to said receiver, means including cam and lost motion linkage connections for rotating said bag transfer mechanisms to move said bag-holding elements into and out of registry with said bag receiver and into and out of registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine and for stopping rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with said bag receiver and to cause movement of said elements into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for impartinga movement of'separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth of the bag held thereby, means to caus upward projection v of said bag holding elements to applythe bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine, means for releasing engagement of said bag holding elements from the bag held thereby,

aao eee and means for imparting an additional movement of separation tosaid bag holding elements subsequent to the release thereof from the said applied bag. I

5. In an automatic bag feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling spouts of a filling machine associated therewith, a main supporting frame, a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame, rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements, a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed individual bags from said magazineto said receiver, continuously operable means including cam and lost motion linkage connections for rotating said bag transfer mechanisms to move said bag-holding elements into and out of registry with said bag receiver and into and out of registry with a filling spout of th associated filling machine and for stopping rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with said ba receiver and to cause movement of said elements into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for imparting av movement of separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth of the bag held thereby, and means to cause upward projection of said bag holding elements to apply the bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine.

6. In an automatic bag feeding machine adapted to transfer bags individually from a magazine to filling spouts of e filling machine associated therewith, a main supporting frame, a bag retaining magazine mounted on said frame, rotatable bag transfer mechanisms including at least one set of opposed movable bag holding elements,

a bag receiver, bag feeding means adapted to feed I individual bags from said magazine to said receiver, continuously operable means including cam and lost motion linkage connections for retating said bag transfer mechanism to move said bag-holding elements into and out of registry with said bag receiver and into and out of registry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine and for stopping rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in registry with said bag receiver and to cause movement of said elements into bag engaging position, said rotation stopping means being also effective to stop rotation of said transfer mechanisms each time said bag holding elements are in r istry with a filling spout of the associated filling machine, means for imparting a movement of separation to said bag holding elements to thereby open the mouth of the bag held thereby, means to cause upward projection of said bag holding elements to apply the bag held thereby to a spout of the associated filling machine, means for releasing engagement of said bag holding elements from the bag held thereby, and means for imparting an additional movement of separation to said bag holding elements subsequent to the release thereof from the said applied bag.

' HOWARD G. ALLEN. 

